Substrate deposition systems, robot transfer apparatus, and methods for electronic device manufacturing

ABSTRACT

Electronic device processing systems may include a mainframe housing having a transfer chamber, a first carousel assembly, a second carousel assembly, a first load lock, a second load lock, and a robot adapted to operate in the transfer chamber to exchange substrates between the first and second carousels and the first and second load locks. The robot may include first and second end effectors operable to extend and/or retract simultaneously or sequentially along substantially co-parallel lines of action. Methods and multi-axis robots for transporting substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/211,049 filed Mar. 14, 2014, entitled “SUBSTRATE DEPOSITIONSYSTEMS, ROBOT TRANSFER APPARATUS, AND METHODS FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICEMANUFACTURING”, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/879,076, filed Sep. 17, 2013, entitled“SUBSTRATE DEPOSITION SYSTEMS, ROBOT TRANSFER APPARATUS, AND METHODS FORELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING”, and also from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/868,795, filed Aug. 22, 2013, entitled“SUBSTRATE DEPOSITION SYSTEMS, ROBOT TRANSFER APPARATUS, AND METHODS FORELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING”, and also from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/787,117, filed Mar. 15, 2013, entitled“SUBSTRATE DEPOSITION SYSTEMS, APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRONICDEVICE MANUFACTURING”, all of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entirety for all purposes.

FIELD

The present invention relates to electronic device manufacturing, andmore specifically to apparatus, systems, and methods for movement ofsubstrates between chambers.

BACKGROUND

Conventional electronic device manufacturing systems may includemultiple process chambers arranged around a mainframe section and one ormore load lock chambers. Such electronic device manufacturing systemsmay be included in cluster tools. These electronic device manufacturingsystems and tools may employ a transfer robot, which may be housed inthe transfer chamber, for example, and that is adapted to transportsubstrates between the various process chambers and one or more loadlock chambers. For example, the transfer robot may transport substratesfrom process chamber to process chamber, from load lock chamber toprocess chamber, and vice versa. Rapid and precise transport ofsubstrates between the various chambers may provide efficient systemthroughput, thereby lowering overall operating costs. Although suchexisting systems and apparatus include sufficient throughput, additionthroughput gains are sought.

Accordingly, systems, apparatus, and methods having improved efficiencyin the processing and transfer of substrates are desired.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, an electronic device processing system is provided. Theelectronic device processing system includes a mainframe housingincluding a transfer chamber, a first facet, a second facet opposite thefirst facet, a third facet, and a fourth facet opposite the third facet;a first carousel assembly coupled to a first facet, a second carouselassembly coupled to the third facet, a first load lock coupled to thesecond facet, a second load lock coupled to the fourth facet, and arobot adapted to operate in the transfer chamber to exchange substratesfrom both of the first carousel and the second carousel.

In another aspect, a method of transporting substrates within anelectronic device processing system is provided. The method includesproviding a mainframe housing including a transfer chamber, a firstfacet, a second facet opposite the first facet, a third facet, and afourth facet opposite the third facet, providing a first carouselassembly coupled to a first facet, providing a first load lock coupledto the second facet, providing a robot adapted to operate in thetransfer chamber to exchange substrates from the first carousel, andsimultaneously or sequentially placing a first substrate into the firstcarousel and a second substrate into the first load lock.

In another aspect, a multi-axis robot is provided. The multi-axis robotincludes a first SCARA including a first upper arm adapted to rotateabout a shoulder axis, a first forearm rotationally coupled to the firstupper arm at an outboard end of the first upper arm, a first wristmember rotationally coupled to the first forearm at a first outerlocation of the first forearm, and a first end effector coupled to thefirst wrist member, a second SCARA including a second upper arm adaptedto rotate about the shoulder axis, a second forearm rotationally coupledto the second upper arm at an outboard end of the second upper arm, asecond wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm at asecond outer location of the second forearm, and a second end effectorcoupled to the second wrist member, wherein the first end effector ofthe first SCARA extends in a first direction from the shoulder axis, andthe second SCARA extends in a second direction from the shoulder axis,wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.

In another aspect, an electronic device processing system is provided.The electronic device processing system includes a mainframe housingincluding a transfer chamber, a process chamber coupled to a first facetof the mainframe housing, a load lock coupled to another facet of thetransfer chamber at a position generally opposed from the first facet,and a robot including a first SCARA robot containing a first endeffector and a second SCARA robot with a second end effector, the firstand second end effectors adapted to move within the transfer chamber toexchange substrates between the process chamber and the load lockwherein the first end effector and the second end effector are operableto extend and retract along substantially co-parallel lines of action.

Numerous other aspects are provided in accordance with these and otherembodiments of the invention. Other features and aspects of embodimentsof the present invention will become more fully apparent from thefollowing detailed description, the appended claims, and theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a partially cross-sectioned schematic top view (withchamber tops removed) of an electronic device processing systemincluding a multi-axis robot apparatus according to embodiments.

FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectioned side view of a batch load lockapparatus taken along section line 1B-1B of FIG. 1A according toembodiments.

FIG. 2A illustrates a top plan view of a multi-axis robot apparatusaccording to embodiments, shown in isolation.

FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectioned side view of a multi-axis robotapparatus according to embodiments.

FIG. 2C illustrates a perspective view of a multi-axis robot apparatusaccording to embodiments with the end effectors removed.

FIG. 2D illustrates a perspective view of a multi-axis robot apparatusof FIG. 2C according to embodiments, with some arms removed to revealthe drive components and with end effectors removed.

FIG. 2E illustrates a perspective view of a multi-axis robot apparatusaccording to embodiments with the end effectors being fully retracted(shown in a blade over wrist configuration) and ready for a rotationalmove.

FIG. 2F illustrates a perspective view of a multi-axis robot apparatusaccording to embodiments with the end effectors extended alongrespective substantially co-parallel lines of action.

FIG. 2G illustrates a perspective view of a multi-axis robot apparatusinstalled in the mainframe housing with the end effectors retractedalong substantially co-parallel lines of action according toembodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method of transportingsubstrates within an electronic device processing system according toembodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart depicting another method of transportingsubstrates within an electronic device processing system according toembodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates one transfer path that may be carried out by the endeffectors of the electronic device processing system when executing arotational move (swap move) according to embodiments.

FIGS. 6A-6B illustrates top views of an electronic device processingsystem showing the end effector with and without a substrate thereon andin a fully-retracted configuration according to embodiments.

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrates top views of another embodiment of electronicdevice processing system showing the end effector with and without asubstrate thereon and in a fully-retracted configuration according toembodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates a top schematic view of a manufacturing systemincluding multiple, side-by-side oriented, electronic device processingsystems illustrating a reduced width footprint of the manufacturingsystem according to embodiments.

FIGS. 9A-9B illustrates top schematic views of electronic deviceprocessing systems in a straight diamond platform configuration (FIG.9A), and in an alternative rotated diamond platform configuration (FIG.9B) according to embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electronic device manufacturing may require very precise and rapidtransport of substrates between various locations. In particular, insome embodiments, end effectors (sometimes referred to as “blades”) maybe attached to an arm of the robot and may be adapted to transportsubstrates resting upon the end effectors to and from chambers of anelectronic device processing system. Such electronic devicemanufacturing systems may include multi-axis robots arranged in atransfer chamber including such end effectors. This allows a firstsubstrate to be extracted from a chamber, and then replaced at the samechamber with a second wafer. The goal is to achieve this transfer asrapidly as possible. However, existing multi-axis robots may not be ableto make the transfer without substantial other robot moves. Theseadditional moves may increase the overall transfer speed that ispossible. Moreover, exiting robots may be limited in the way in whichthey can access such chambers. Furthermore, misalignment adjustmentcapability may be limited in some prior art systems including robots.

Furthermore, it is desirable to use a selective compliance assemblyrobot arm (SCARA) robot, if possible, due to its simple construction.

Therefore, in one or more embodiments, a multi-axis robot apparatus thatmay be used for transporting substrates to and from process chambers(e.g., carousels) and load locks in electronic device manufacturing isprovided.

According to one or more embodiments of the invention, an improvedmulti-axis robot apparatus is provided. The inventive multi-axis robotapparatus includes dual SCARAs that are operable along respectivesubstantially co-parallel lines of action in opposite directions suchthat the loading and unloading of a process chamber of a carousel and ofa load lock can be accomplished substantially simultaneously. In one ormore additional embodiments, each of the SCARA robots may beindependently controlled to extend and retract along the line of action.In this manner, substrate misalignment correction may be carried outindependently at the loading chamber of the carousel and/or at the loadlock. This provides capability of fast swaps of substrates (e.g.,silicon wafers) between a load lock and the opposing loading processchamber of the carousel. In particular, the independent control alongthe substantially co-parallel lines of action, according to one or moreembodiments, may provide the ability for different radial extensiondistances for each end effector and/or sequentially entering andretracting from the chambers (without a rotational move of the robot).Moreover, the multi-axis robot apparatus may be operable, as will beapparent from the following description, to service a first opposed pairof a first carousel and first load lock, and a second opposed pair of asecond carousel and second load lock. Accordingly, the multi-axis robotapparatus is more fully utilized than in prior carousel systemconfigurations, as one carousel may be processing while the other isbeing unloaded/reloaded, and vice versa.

According to one or more embodiments of the invention, electronic deviceprocessing systems including the multi-axis robot apparatus areprovided. According to one or more additional embodiments of theinvention, methods of transferring substrates with an electronic deviceprocessing system are provided. The multi-axis robot apparatus is adeptat transferring substrates between a multi-station carousel and amulti-position load lock, for example. The multi-station carousel and amulti-position load lock may be arranged in a diamond platformconfiguration, which may provide improved serviceability. For example,excellent serviceability of the mainframe housing, carousels, chambersof the carousel, and load locks may be provided. Moreover, the diamondplatform configuration may provide reduced area floor footprint.

Further details of example embodiments of the invention are describedwith reference to FIGS. 1A-9B herein.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of an example embodiment of an electronicdevice processing system 100 according to embodiments of the presentinvention. The electronic device processing system 100 may include amainframe housing 101 having walls defining a transfer chamber 102. Amulti-axis robot apparatus 103 in accordance with another embodiment ofthe invention may be at least partially housed within the transferchamber 102. The multi-axis robot apparatus 103 may be configured andadapted to place or extract substrates (e.g., first substrate 105, andsecond substrate 106) to and from destinations via operation of themulti-axis robot apparatus 103, which is described fully below.

The destinations for the substrates 105, 106 may be at least a firstcarousel 108 and first load lock 112, but may also include a secondcarousel 110, and a second load lock 114. The carousels 108, 110 mayeach have a carousel chamber 108C, 110C and a rotating carousel platform108P, 110P having multiple substrate placement locations thereon (e.g.,three or more, four or more, five or more, or even six or more). Thecarousels 108, 110 include one or more process chambers that are coupledto the transfer chamber 102 via the entrances 108E, 110E. Processchambers within the carousel chambers 108C, 110C may be adapted to carryout any number of processes, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), orthe like on the substrates placed in the carousels 108, 110. Otherprocesses may also be carried out therein. Processes are carried out asthe substrates are rotated about on stations of the carousel platforms108P, 110P.

The load locks 112, 114 may beadapted to interface with a factoryinterface 116, which may receive one or more substrates from substratecarriers 118 docked at load ports of the factory interface 116.Substrates may be transferred by a load/unload robot 120 (shown dotted)in the factory interface 116 and the transfer may take place in anysequence or direction. Load/unload robot 120 in the factory interface116 may be entirely conventional. Substrates as used herein shall meanarticles used to make electronic devices or circuit components, such assilica-containing wafers, glass discs, masks, or the like.

The electronic device processing system 100 of FIG. 1A includes twocarousels (e.g., 108, 110) and two load locks (112, 114) as shown beinggenerally opposed from one another. The carousels 108, 110 may includemultiple stations on the platforms 108P, 110P upon which substrates maybe supported as they undergo processing. The load locks 112, 114 mayinclude multiple substrate supports upon which substrates may besupported, to be described later herein.

In this embodiment, the respective facets 102B and 102D of the loadlocks 112, 114 are oriented at an angle 122 to the interface wall 119 ofthe factory interface 116, as shown. The angle 122 may be approximately45 degrees (e.g., to the interface wall 119 of the factory interface116. This so-called “diamond platform configuration” may allow asimultaneous exchange of substrates at the first carousel 108 and firstload lock 112 along substantially co-parallel lines of action 144A,144B. Additionally, this diamond platform configuration may allow asimultaneous exchange at the second carousel 110 and second load lock114 along respective substantially co-parallel lines of action 145A,145B. As will be apparent, in other embodiments, the exchanges at thefirst carousel 108 and load lock 112 (and second carousel 110 and loadlock 114) may be sequential, i.e., one after the other) thereby allowingfor misalignment correction. Other angles 122 may be used, such asbetween about 30 degrees and 60 degrees, for example. As should beapparent, the diamond platform configuration allows the multi-axis robot103 to service each of the first carousel 108 and load lock 112 and thesecond carousel 110 and load lock 114.

In some embodiments, the transfer chamber 102 may be operated under avacuum, for example. Each of the carousels 108, 110 and the load locks112, 114 may include slit valves at their ingress/egress, which may beadapted to open and close when placing or extracting substrates to andfrom the chambers thereof. Slit valves may be of any suitableconventional construction, such as L-motion slit valves. In someembodiments, the slit valves at the entrances to the respective loadlocks 112, 114 may be double height to enable the different height endeffectors of the SCARAs 103A, 103B to readily access the load lock 112,114 without a vertical height change of the robot 103.

The motion of the various components of the multi-axis robot apparatus103 may be controlled by suitable commands to a drive assembly (notshown) containing a plurality of drive motors of the multi-axis robotapparatus 103 from a controller 125. Controller 125 may be any suitableelectronic controller having processor, memory, and suitable electroniccomponents adapted to process and send signals to the drive motors.Signals from the controller 125 may cause motion of the variouscomponents of the multi-axis robot apparatus 103, as will be apparentfrom the following. Suitable feedback may be provided for each componentby various sensors, such as position encoders, or the like.

The diamond platform configuration may accommodate different multi-axisrobot types, such as the robots described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,789,878;5,879,127; 6,267,549; 6,379,095; 6,582,175; and 6,722,834; and US Pat.Pubs. 2010/0178147; 2013/0039726; 2013/0149076; 2013/0115028; and2010/0178146, for example. Other suitable robot types may be used inplace of the robot 103 shown.

In one particular embodiment described herein, the multi-axis robotapparatus 103 may include three motors as shown in FIG. 2B. A firstmotor 265 may be used to rotate a first shaft 103S1 of the multi-axisrobot apparatus 103 about the shoulder axis 127 as shown in FIG. 2B.This rotation extends or retracts the wrist member 132 of the firstSCARA robot 103A along the line of action 144A.

A second motor 270, which may be positioned above the first motor 265,may be used to rotate a second shaft 103S2 of the multi-axis robotapparatus 103. This rotation extends or retracts the wrist member 140 ofthe second SCARA robot 103B along a second line of action 144B, whichmay be substantially co-parallel with line of action 144A.

A third motor 275, which may be positioned between the first and secondmotors 265, 270, may be used to rotate a third shaft 103S3 of themulti-axis robot apparatus 103. This rotation rotates the pulleys 276,278 which are coupled together in this embodiment, and causes SCARArobots 103A and 103B to rotate in unison about the shoulder axis 127, asshown by directional arrow 121 (FIG. 1A). This rotational move may beused to accomplish a swap of substrates between the respective carousel108, 110 and a corresponding radially-opposed load lock 112, 114.Rotation of the first and second shafts 103S1, 103S2 may be used toextend and retract each of the SCARAs 103A, 103B along the substantiallyco-parallel lines of action 144A, 144B (shown dotted). During thisextension and retraction, the third motor 275 and shaft 103S3 remainstationary.

In one embodiment, the first and second motors 265, 270 may becontrolled and operated independently to control the extension andretraction of the first SCARA 103A and the second SCARA robot 103B alongthe lines of action 144A, 144B, 145A, 145B. Thus, an amount anddirection of extension and retraction may be independently controlledalong the respective lines of action 144A, 144B, 145A, 145B.

In another embodiment, the first and second motors 265, 270 maycontrolled to cause simultaneous extension and retraction of the firstand second SCARA robots 103A, 103B. Thus, the end effectors 134, 142(FIG. 2A) of the first and second SCARA robots 103A, 103B may eitherindependently extend and retract into radially-opposed chambers, or maysimultaneously extend into radially-opposed chambers.

As shown in FIGS. 2A-2F, the multi-axis robot apparatus 103 includes thefirst SCARA robot 103A and the second SCARA robot 103B. The first SCARArobot 103A includes a first upper arm 124 rotatable about a shoulderaxis 127. The multi-axis robot apparatus 103 may include a base 128 thatis adapted to be attached to a wall (e.g., a floor) of the mainframehousing 101. However, the multi-axis robot apparatus 103 may be attachedto a ceiling of the mainframe housing 101 in some embodiments.Accordingly, the multi-axis robot apparatus 103 may be at leastpartially supported by the mainframe housing 101.

The multi-axis robot apparatus 103 may also include a drive assembly 222(FIG. 2B) which may be located outside of the transfer chamber 102 andthat may be configured and adapted to drive the upper arm 124 andvarious other arms and components to be described herein. Againreferring to FIG. 2A, the upper arm 124 may be adapted to be rotatedabout the shoulder axis 127 in either a clockwise or counterclockwiserotational direction. The rotation may be provided by any suitable drivemotor, such as a conventional variable reluctance or permanent magnetelectric motor located in the drive assembly 222 (see FIG. 2B). Therotation of the upper arm 124 may be controlled by suitable commands tothe drive motor from the controller 125. Upper arm 124 is adapted to berotated in an X-Y plane relative to the base 128 about the shoulder axis127.

In the depicted embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the robot apparatus 103includes, in first SCARA 103A, first forearm 130, which may rotationallycouple to the upper arm 124 at a radially outboard end of the upper arm124 spaced from the axis 127. In the depicted embodiment, the firstforearm 130 is mounted to a first outboard end of the upper arm 124 atthe outboard location and is rotatable about a second rotational axis127A. Rotation of the first forearm 130 may be +/− about 150 degreesrelative to the first upper arm 124. The rotation of the first forearm130 maybe kinematically linked through a drive components (e.g., pulleysand belts as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2D) so that rotation of the firstupper arm 124 causes a corresponding kinematic rotation of the firstforearm 130.

Furthermore, a first wrist member 132 may be coupled to a first outerlocation on the first forearm 130 and is rotatable relative to the firstforearm 130 about a first wrist axis. The first wrist axis may be spacedfrom the second rotational axis 127A by a distance. The first wristmember 132 may have a first end effector 134 coupled thereto. First endeffector 134 is configured and adapted to carry the substrate 105 to beprocessed within the substrate processing system 100. Rotation of thefirst wrist member 132 and thus the coupled first end effector 134relative to the first forearm 130 may be +/− about 150 degrees. Thefirst upper arm 124, first forearm 130, first wrist member 132 and firstend effector 134, and the corresponding drive motors and drive shaftsincluded in the drive assembly 222 make up the first SCARA robot 103A.The rotation of the first upper arm 124, first forearm 130, and thefirst wrist member 132 may be kinematically linked through drivecomponents (e.g., belts and pulleys) so that rotation of the first upperarm 124 causes a corresponding rotation of the first forearm 130 whichcauses a corresponding rotation of the first wrist member 132 such thatthe first end effector 134 purely translates along the line of action144A when third motor 275 remains stationary.

SCARA is defined herein as a selective compliance articulated robotassembly, and refers to a robot whose arms (e.g., first upper arm 124,first forearm 130, and first wrist member 132) are kinematically linkedso that rotation of the first upper arm 124 causes correspondingrotations of the first forearm 130, and first wrist member 132 causingthe end effector 134 to purely translate along a line of action 144A,i.e., along a radial line aligned with the shoulder axis 127.

The end effector 134 may depart from this line of action 144A whenundergoing a rotational move to accomplish the swap as shown in FIG. 5.This departure from the line of action 144A may be caused by moving thethird motor 275 as soon as the centerline of the substrate (e.g., 105)exits the exit 108E from the carousel 108, as well as by the endeffector over wrist configuration shown in FIGS. 2E, 2G and 6A-7B, asdescribed herein.

Again referring to FIGS. 2A-2F, the robot apparatus 103 includes, on thesecond SCARA robot 103B, a second upper arm 136 rotatable about theshoulder axis 127, a second forearm 138, which may coupled to the secondupper arm 136 at a radially outboard end of the upper arm 136 spacedfrom the shoulder axis 127. In the depicted embodiment, the secondforearm 138 is mounted to a first outboard end of the second upper arm136 at the outboard location and is rotatable about a second rotationalaxis 127B. Rotation of the second forearm 138 may be +/− about 150degrees relative to the second upper arm 136.

Furthermore, a second wrist member 140 may be coupled to a first outerlocation on the second forearm 138 and is rotatable relative to thesecond forearm 138 about a second wrist axis. The second wrist axis maybe spaced from the second rotational axis 127B by a distance. The secondwrist member 140 may have a second end effector 142 coupled thereto.

Second end effector 142 is configured and adapted to carry the substrate106 to be processed within the substrate processing system 100. Rotationof the second end effector 142 relative to the second forearm 138 may be+/− about 150 degrees. The second upper arm 136, second forearm 138,second wrist member 140 and second end effector 142, and thecorresponding drive motors and drive shafts included in the driveassembly 222 make up a second SCARA robot 103B.

The second upper arm 136, second forearm 138, and the second wristmember 140 may be kinematically linked through a drive components (e.g.,belts and pulleys as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2D) so that rotation of thefirst upper arm 136 causes a corresponding rotation of the secondforearm 138, which causes a corresponding rotation of the second wristmember 140.

Each of the first and second SCARA robots 103A, 103B may be driven by adrive assembly 222, which in one embodiment, may be mounted outside ofthe transfer chamber 102. In this embodiment, rotation of a first drivemotor 265 in a clockwise direction retracts end effector 134 towards theshoulder axis 127 along the line of action 144A (as shown. Rotation of asecond drive motor 270 in a clockwise direction retracts the endeffector 142 along the line of action 144B. Extension may beaccomplished by counterclockwise rotation. Extension and retraction maybe along substantially co-parallel lines of action 144A, 144B whenpositioned to perform a swap between carousel 108 and load lock 112 asshown in FIG. 1A. The drive components (belts, pulleys as shown in FIGS.2B and 2D and upper arm and forearm lengths) are chosen to ensure linearextension and retraction motion along the respective lines of action144A, 144B. The first and second drive motors 265, 270 in the driveassembly 222 may couple to drive components and may be adapted totranslate the end effectors 134, 142 either simultaneously orsequentially. In sequential motion, either one of the robots 103A, 103Bmay be first extended or retracted independently of the other after orbefore a rotational move.

Suitable conventional rotational encoders (not shown) may be used toposition the SCARA robots 103A, 103B relative to the carousels 108, 110and the load locks 112, 114, as desired.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2B, the drive assembly 222 may includeZ-axis motion capability in some embodiments. In particular, a motorhousing 267 of the drive assembly 222 may be restrained from rotationrelative to an outer casing 268 by a motion restrictor 269. Motionrestrictor 269 may be two or more linear bearings or other bearing orslide mechanisms that function to constrain rotation of the motorhousing 267 relative to the outer casing 268, yet allow Z-axis motion ofthe motor housing 267 (along the direction of the shoulder rotationalaxis 127).

The vertical motion may be provided by a suitable vertical motor 271.Rotation of the vertical motor 271 may operate to rotate a lead screw ina receiver coupled to, or integral with, the motor housing 267. Thisvertically translates the motor housing 267, and, thus, the endeffectors 134, 142, and, thus, the substrates 105, 106. A suitableflexible seal 272 may seal between the motor housing 267 and the base128 thereby accommodating the vertical motion and retaining the vacuumwithin the transfer chamber 102. A metal bellows or other like flexibleseal may be used for the seal.

In one embodiment, the first and second SCARA robots 130A, 103B may beindependently driven in extension and retraction. In this “independentlydriven” embodiment, each of the first and second SCARA robots 103A, 103Bmay be extended and retracted independently of each other. Thus, firstSCARA robot 103A may be retracted when second SCARA robot 103B is beingextended, or vice versa.

Furthermore, in another motion sequence, the first and second SCARArobots 103A, 103B may be extended together or retracted together, yet bydifferent amounts along the respective lines of action 144A, 144B. Inother embodiments, the first and second SCARA robots 103A, 103B may beextended and retracted simultaneously along the respective lines ofaction 144A, 144B, and in a same amount.

As stated above, in some rotational moves undertaken to rotate the endeffectors 134, 142 to another destination, the end effectors 134, 142,and substrates 105, 106 supported thereon, may depart from the linearlines of action 144A, 144B as shown in FIG. 5.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 5, the end effectors 134, 142 of therobots 103A, 103B may follow a non-straight path 144C once more thanhalf of each substrate 105, 106 lies within the transfer chamber 102.Thus, the end effectors 134, 142 and the supported substrates 105, 106may undergo pure translation along lines of action 144A, 144B whenextending and retracting from the chambers (e.g., generally opposedchambers) and then follow an arcuate path 144C when more than half thevolume of the respective substrate 105, 106 is within the volume of thetransfer chamber 102. The arcuate path 144C may include three circulararc segments (e.g., convex, concave, and convex) that may be coupledtangentially. The segments of arcuate path 144C may be carried out atsubstantially constant velocity. This is caused by starting the rotationmove as soon as half the last substrate to be removed has cleared therespective opening 108E, 160, and providing the substrate 105, 106 in aconfiguration of end effector 134 over wrist member 140 as shown in FIG.2E.

The ability to extend and retract independently provides additionalcapability to correct misalignment of the substrates 105, 106 whenplaced into a chamber (process chamber or load lock chamber). Thisembodiment, although described with relationship to a carousel 108 andload lock 112 may be used for accessing and/or misalignment correctionin one or both of any two radially-aligned chambers.

For example, referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 4 herein, a method ofexchanging substrates (e.g., substrates 105, 106) is provided. Themethod 400 includes, in 402, providing a transfer chamber (e.g.,transfer chamber 102) including a robot apparatus (e.g., robot apparatus103) with first and second SCARA robots (e.g., SCARA robots 103A, 103B),and first and second radially-aligned chambers (e.g., chambers 146,148). Chambers 146, 148 may be radially aligned across the transferchamber 102, i.e., on opposed sides thereof. The robot apparatus 103 maybe controlled via signals from controller 125 to carry out one or moresubstrate exchange (e.g., swap) sequences between the radially-alignedchambers (e.g., chambers 146,148). Radially aligned chambers may be aprocess chamber and a load lock chamber, for example.

According to the method 400, in a first sequence, the first SCARA robot103A may extend into the first radially-aligned chamber 146 in thecarousel 108 and second SCARA robot 103B may extend into the secondradially-aligned chamber 148 in the load lock 112, and pick up thesubstrates 105, 106 in 404. The extension may be simultaneous orindependent, i.e., sequential (in any order). No rotational move is yetundertaken.

In 406, the first SCARA robot 103A and second SCARA robot 103B maysimultaneously retract or sequentially retract (in any order), and thenrotate. The rotational move may include rotation about directional arrow121, either CW or CCW 180 degrees, so that substrate 106 is now radiallyaligned with the entrance 108E into the load/unload station of thechamber 146 of the carousel 108 and the substrate 105 is now radiallyaligned with the entrance 160 to the chamber 148 of the load lock 112.Rotation (e.g., the rotational move of the robot 103) may beaccomplished via rotation of the third motor (e.g., motor 275). Duringthe rotational move, the end effectors 134, 142 may follow the paths147A, 147B along section 144C.

One of the substrates 105, 106 may be placed into one of the respectiveradially-aligned chambers 146, 148 and undergo misalignment correctionin 408, while the other may remain positioned in the transfer chamber102. Determining misalignment of the substrate 105, 106 within therespective chamber 146, 148 may be through any known misalignmentdetermining scheme, such as by sensing a position of the substrate 105,106 with optical position sensors as they enter the respective entrances(e.g., 108E, 160) of each chamber 146, 148. Once the controller 125determines the amount and direction of misalignment, then themisalignment may be corrected by making suitable positional adjustments.Adjustments may be in the lateral direction (e.g., along direction 144L)by rotation in the direction of directional arrow 121 and/or radialdirection (by further extension or retraction along line of action 144A.Similar lateral and radial misalignment corrections may be made in theload lock 112.

In one embodiment, placement and misalignment correction (if needed) ofthe substrate 105 into the load lock 112 may take place first, the firstSCARA robot 103A may be retracted from the load lock 112 along line ofaction 144B, and then a misalignment correction may take place withinthe chamber 146 of the carousel 108 by inserting the end effector 142into the chamber 146 and causing a slight rotation of the robotapparatus 103 about directional arrow 121 to correct lateralmisalignment in the lateral direction 144L and/or a slight extension orretraction of the second SCARA robot 103B to correct misalignment alongthe line of action 144A, as needed.

In other embodiments, misalignment may be subsequently corrected whenplaced into the load lock 112, using a similar misalignment correctionsequence. In some embodiments, misalignment may be corrected in both thecarousel 108 and in the load lock 112. Misalignment correction withinthe carousel 108 and load lock 112 may take place in any order. Similarexchanges and misalignment correction may take place in chamber 150 ofcarousel 110 and/or in chamber 152 of load lock 114. Load locks 114 and112 may be substantially identical in structure and function. Likewise,carousels 108 and 110 may be substantially identical in structure andfunction. Other configurations may be used.

In another embodiment, a method 300 of transporting substrates (e.g.,105, 106) within an electronic device processing system (e.g., 100) isprovided in FIG. 3. The method 300 includes, in 302, providing amainframe housing 101 including a transfer chamber 102, a first facet102A, a second facet 102B opposite the first facet 102A, a third facet102C, and a fourth facet 102D opposite the third facet 102C. The method300 further includes, in 304, providing a first carousel assembly (e.g.,carousel 108) coupled to a first facet (e.g., first facet 102A), and, in306, providing a first load lock (e.g., first load lock 112) coupled tothe second facet (e.g., second facet 102B).

The method 300 further includes, in 308, providing a robot (e.g., robot103) adapted to operate in the transfer chamber (e.g., transfer chamber102) to exchange substrates (e.g., substrates 105, 106) from the firstcarousel (e.g., first carousel 108), and in 310, simultaneously orsequentially placing a first substrate (e.g., substrate 105) into thefirst carousel (e.g., first carousel 108) and a second substrate (e.g.,substrate 106) into the first load lock (e.g., load lock 112).

In another aspect, a second carousel 110 is coupled to the third facet(e.g., third facet 102C), and a second load lock 114 (e.g., second loadlock 114) is coupled to the fourth facet (e.g., fourth facet 102D), andthe robot 103 is operable to simultaneously or sequentially place athird substrate into the second carousel 110 and a fourth substrate intothe second load lock 114. Robot 103 may exchange (e.g., swap) substratesbetween the second carousel 110 and the second load lock 114, forexample.

In one or more embodiments, the robot 103 comprises a first SCARA 103Aoperating to extend in a first direction from a shoulder axis 127 alongthe line of action 144A (FIGS. 2A-2C), and a second SCARA 103B operatingto extend in a second direction along a second line of action 144B fromthe shoulder axis 127, wherein the second direction along the line ofaction 144B is opposite the first direction along the line of action144A.

In other embodiments, the first SCARA 103A is operable to extend in afirst direction from a shoulder axis 127 along the line of action 144A(FIG. 2A), and a second SCARA 103B is operable to extend in a seconddirection from the shoulder axis 127, along the line of action 144B, butthe extension may be non-simultaneous, i.e., it may be sequential.Extension may be in any order along the lines of action 144A, 144B, suchas extending first SCARA robot 103A first and then extending secondSCARA robot 103B second, or vice versa, without making a rotational move(except for misalignment correction).

In one or more embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1B, the load lock apparatus112 may be a batch load lock apparatus and may include multiple supports149 (such as slots or shelves—a few labeled) into which multiplesubstrates (e.g., substrates 106—a few labeled) may be placed. Anysuitable support structure may be used. The number of supports 149 maybe equal to or greater than the number of processing positions in thecarousel 108. For example, if the carousel 108 has six processingpositions (as shown), the load lock 112 should have six or more slotsadapted to accept substrates 106, such that the entire carousel 108 maybe unloaded and reloaded by opening the load lock 112 only once. In someembodiments, one or more extra slots may be provided in order to housean auxiliary substrate 106D such as a dummy wafer, calibration wafer, orthe like. An end-most support position on the top or bottom may be usedfor the auxiliary substrate 106D.

In the depicted embodiment, the load lock 112 may include a liftassembly 155 having a lift motor 156 with a drive component 157 coupledto a moveable lift body 158, which includes the supports 149. The liftassembly 155 may be operable to move the moveable lift body 158 up anddown along the vertical direction 159. The lifting action within theload lock chamber 148 may be operable to align a particular substrate106 with the load lock entrance 160. Load lock entrance 160 may be adouble-width entrance in some embodiments to accommodate the robot 103,which may have end effectors 134, 142 at two different levels.

Optionally, the double-width entry 160 may comprise twovertically-stacked single entrances. A single slit valve door may coverthe double-width entrance 160. The use of a double-width entranceeliminates a vertical robot move at the load lock 112. Load lock 114 mayalso include a double-width entrance. Likewise, load lock 114 mayinclude multi-position load lock structure enabling unloading thecarousel 110 as a batch mode as described above.

In some embodiments, of the multi-position load locks 112, 114 mayinclude active heating adapted to heat the substrates (e.g., substrate106) to within about 100 degrees C. or less of the process temperaturetaking place at the respective process chambers (e.g., at the carousel108). For example, the substrate 106 may be heated to 300 degrees C. ormore in some embodiments, heated to 350 degrees C. or more, or evenabout 400 degrees C. or more, before being loaded into the carousel 108by the robot 103.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate top views of an electronic device processingsystem 600 with a first robot 603 configured to undertake a rotationalmove to swap substrates between a first chamber (e.g., process chamber646 or 650) and a second chamber (e.g., load lock chamber 648 or 652).The respective end effectors at least partially or fully overlie (lieover) or underlie (lie under) the wrist member of the other SCARA robot,as depicted. In particular, when the robot 603 is in a fully-retractedposition as shown, in order to undergo a rotational move (to enableswapping) within the mainframe housing, the respective end effectors andwrist members may be positioned in a configuration where the first endeffector lies at least partially vertically (or fully) in line with awrist member of the second SCARA robot. Likewise, the second endeffector may lie at least partially (or fully) vertically in line with awrist member of the first SCARA robot. This blade-over-wrist memberconfiguration allows the mainframe housing volume to be made smaller andreduces system footprint size. This may reduce system cost, reducesystem volume, and pump down time. Similarly, the use of the diamondplatform configuration, as shown improves serviceability, includingmainframe and chamber access.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrates top views of an electronic device processingsystem 700, with the process chambers and load locks removed, having arobot 703 configured to undertake a rotational move to swap substratesbetween a first chamber and a second chamber coupled to facets 702C and702D. The respective end effector lengths, forearm lengths, and upperarm lengths have been enlarged over the FIG. 6A, 6B embodiment such thatthe end effectors only partially overlie or underlie the wrist member ofthe other SCARA robot, as depicted. The ends of the forearms where theymeet the respective wrist members may encroach upon (pass through theplane of each facet 702C, 702D, as shown) when in the fully-retractedcondition shown, as the slit valve doors (not shown) may be retractedsufficiently at this point where the robot 703 is first undergoing therobot rotational move. This avoids interference, yet allows the robot tobe made larger without making the transfer chamber larger. This furtherreduces the footprint size of the system, and may reduce cost and pumpdown volume as compared to previous end effector over end effectorconfigurations. In the FIGS. 7A and 7B embodiments, process chambers(either individual chambers or as carousels) maybe coupled to the facets702B and 702C, and load locks may be coupled to facets 702A and 702D.Load locks may be single-position load locks or multi-position loadlocks as described in FIG. 1B.

FIG. 8 illustrates a manufacturing system 800 including an arrangementof three electronic device processing systems 100A, 100B, and 100Caccording to embodiments of the present invention. Electronic deviceprocessing systems 100A, 100B, 100C may be identical to electronicdevice processing system 100 previously described with reference to FIG.1A-1B. An aisle adapted to allow service access in a side-by-side systemmay be eliminated. In particular, the respective carousels of theadjacent electronic device processing systems 100A-100C of themanufacturing system 800 may abutted directly to one another. Thisdiamond platform configuration enables overall smaller fabrication spacerequirements and may also improve system serviceability. Furthermore,the shared use of one robot 903A, 903B (shown dotted), respectively, toservice both carousels 908A, 910A, 908B, 910B) and load locks 912A,912B, 914A, 914B allows continued operation even in the event of afailure or maintenance of one load lock 912A, 912B, 914A, 914B, albeitat a lower processing rate.

FIG. 9B illustrates that the carousels 908B, 910B of the electronicdevice processing system 900B may be positioned and configured on themainframe housing 901B in a manner that draws the adjacent carousels908B, 910B closer together laterally, and may draw the adjacent loadlocks 912B, 914B closer together laterally, as well. This furtherminimizes a width footprint of the electronic device processing system900B, as compared to the electronic device processing system 900A. Inparticular, as shown in FIG. 9B, a first separation angle 965Bcircumscribed between the center of the transfer chamber 902B andthrough the rotational center of each carousel 908B, 908B may be lessthan 90 degrees. For example, the separation angle 965B may rangebetween about 85 degrees and about 50 degrees, or even between about 70degrees and about 50 degrees in some embodiments.

A load lock separation angle circumscribed between the center of thetransfer chamber 902B and drawn through the placement center of eachload lock 912B, 914B may be less than 90 degrees. For example, the loadlock separation angle may range between about 85 degrees and about 50degrees, or even between about 70 degrees and about 50 degrees in someembodiments.

In this case, as well as the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9A, therespective carousels 908A, 908B, 910A, 910B and load locks 912A, 912B,914A, 914B may be configured (as shown) such that they are opposed fromone another across the respective transfer chambers 902A, 902B formed inmainframe housings 901A, 901B. Moreover, the components may be arrangedand lie along lines passing through the respective rotational center ofeach carousel 908A, 908B, 910A, 910B, the center of the transfer chamber902A, 902B, and the placement center of each respective load lock 912A,912B, 914A, 914B. The electronic device processing system 900A shown inthe FIG. 9A embodiment may be referred to as a straight diamond platformin that the separation angle 965A is about 90 degrees, whereas the FIG.9B embodiment may be referred to as a rotated diamond platform.

The foregoing description discloses only example embodiments of theinvention. Modifications of the above-disclosed apparatus, systems andmethods which fall within the scope of the invention will be readilyapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, while thepresent invention has been disclosed in connection with exampleembodiments, it should be understood that other embodiments may fallwithin the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A multi-axis robot, comprising: a first SCARAcomprising: a first upper arm adapted to rotate about a shoulder axisthat extends through the first upper arm; a first forearm rotationallycoupled to and above the first upper arm at an outboard end of the firstupper arm; a first wrist member rotationally coupled to and below thefirst forearm at a first outer location of the first forearm; and afirst end effector coupled to the first wrist member, the first endeffector disposed at a first height; and a second SCARA comprising: asecond upper arm adapted to rotate about the shoulder axis, the shoulderaxis also extending through the second upper arm; a second forearmrotationally coupled to the second upper arm at an outboard end of thesecond upper arm, wherein the second forearm is positioned below thefirst forearm; a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the secondforearm at a second outer location of the second forearm; and a secondend effector coupled to the second wrist member, the second end effectordisposed at a second height different from the first height; wherein thefirst end effector of the first SCARA extends in a first direction awayfrom the shoulder axis, wherein the second end effector of the secondSCARA extends in a second direction away from the shoulder axis, andwherein the second direction is opposite the first direction and thefirst and second directions form substantially co-parallel lines ofaction.
 2. The multi-axis robot of claim 1, wherein: the multi-axisrobot is adapted to operate in a transfer chamber of an electronicdevice processing system comprising: a mainframe housing including thetransfer chamber, a first facet, a second facet opposite the firstfacet, a third facet, and a fourth facet opposite the third facet; afirst carousel assembly coupled to the first facet; a second carouselassembly coupled to the third facet; a first multi-position load lockcoupled to the second facet, wherein the first multi-position load lockincludes a first double height entrance, and further includes a firstmoveable lift body; a first lift assembly coupled to the first moveablelift body; and a second load lock coupled to the fourth facet; and themulti-axis robot is adapted to exchange substrates from both the firstcarousel assembly and the second carousel assembly.
 3. The multi-axisrobot of claim 1, wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adaptedto simultaneously place a first substrate into a first carousel assemblyand a second substrate into a first multi-position load lock.
 4. Themulti-axis robot of claim 1, wherein the multi-axis robot is configuredand adapted to simultaneously pick a first substrate from a firstcarousel assembly and a second substrate from a first multi-positionload lock.
 5. The multi-axis robot of claim 1, wherein the multi-axisrobot is configured and adapted to retract, rotate, and thensimultaneously place a first substrate into a first multi-position loadlock and to place a second substrate into a first carousel assembly. 6.The multi-axis robot of claim 1, wherein the first and second endeffectors are operable to extend simultaneously or sequentially alongthe substantially co-parallel lines of action.
 7. The multi-axis robotof claim 1, wherein the first and second end effectors are operable toretract simultaneously or sequentially along the substantiallyco-parallel lines of action.
 8. The multi-axis robot of claim 1, whereinthe first end effector overlies the second wrist member, and the secondend effector lies under the first wrist member when oriented for arotational move of the multi-axis robot.
 9. The multi-axis robot ofclaim 1, wherein, at a first time, the first upper arm in a firstextended position from the shoulder axis lies on a first plan view sideof the substantially co-parallel lines of action and the second upperarm in a second extended position from the shoulder axis lies on asecond plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action,wherein the second plan view side is opposite the first plan view side.10. The multi-axis robot of claim 9, wherein the first and second endeffectors extend respectively in the first and second directions awayfrom the shoulder axis along the substantially co-parallel lines ofaction at the first time such that the first and second end effectorsrespectively extend a distance from the shoulder axis sufficient toextend through a double height entrance of a process chamber and adouble height entrance of a multi-position load lock respectivelywithout extending the corresponding first or second wrist memberstherethrough.
 11. A multi-axis robot, comprising: a first SCARAcomprising: a first upper arm adapted to rotate about a shoulder axis; afirst forearm rotationally coupled to and above the first upper arm atan outboard end of the first upper arm; a first wrist memberrotationally coupled to and below the first forearm at a first outerlocation of the first forearm; and a first end effector coupled to thefirst wrist member; and a second SCARA comprising: a second upper armadapted to rotate about the shoulder axis; a second forearm rotationallycoupled to the second upper arm at an outboard end of the second upperarm; a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm ata second outer location of the second forearm; and a second end effectorcoupled to the second wrist member; wherein the first end effector ofthe first SCARA extends in a first direction away from the shoulderaxis, wherein the second end effector of the second SCARA extends in asecond direction away from the shoulder axis, and wherein the seconddirection is opposite the first direction.
 12. The multi-axis robot ofclaim 11, wherein the first and second directions form substantiallyco-parallel lines of action.
 13. The multi-axis robot of claim 12,wherein, at a first time, the first upper arm in a first extendedposition from the shoulder axis lies on a first plan view side of thesubstantially co-parallel lines of action and the second upper arm in asecond extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a second planview side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action, wherein thesecond plan view side is opposite the first plan view side.
 14. Themulti-axis robot of claim 13, wherein the first and second end effectorsextend respectively in the first and second directions away from theshoulder axis along the substantially co-parallel lines of action at thefirst time such that the first and second end effectors respectivelyextend a distance from the shoulder axis sufficient to extend through adouble height entrance of a process chamber and a double height entranceof a multi-position load lock respectively without extending thecorresponding first or second wrist members therethrough.
 15. Themulti-axis robot of claim 12, wherein the first and second end effectorsare operable to: extend simultaneously or sequentially along thesubstantially co-parallel lines of action; and retract simultaneously orsequentially along the substantially co-parallel lines of action. 16.The multi-axis robot of claim 11, wherein: the multi-axis robot isadapted to operate in a transfer chamber of an electronic deviceprocessing system comprising: a mainframe housing including the transferchamber, a first facet, a second facet opposite the first facet, a thirdfacet, and a fourth facet opposite the third facet; a first carouselassembly coupled to the first facet; a second carousel assembly coupledto the third facet; a first multi-position load lock coupled to thesecond facet, wherein the first multi-position load lock includes afirst double height entrance, and further includes a first moveable liftbody; a first lift assembly coupled to the first moveable lift body; anda second load lock coupled to the fourth facet; and the multi-axis robotis adapted to exchange substrates from both the first carousel assemblyand the second carousel assembly.
 17. The multi-axis robot of claim 11,wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to:simultaneously place a first substrate into a first carousel assemblyand a second substrate into a first multi-position load lock; andsimultaneously pick the first substrate from the first carousel assemblyand the second substrate from the first multi-position load lock. 18.The multi-axis robot of claim 11, wherein the multi-axis robot isconfigured and adapted to retract, rotate, and then simultaneously placea first substrate into a first multi-position load lock and to place asecond substrate into a first carousel assembly.
 19. The multi-axisrobot of claim 11, wherein: the shoulder axis extends through the firstupper arm and the second upper arm; the first end effector is disposedat a first height; and the second end effector is disposed at a secondheight different from the first height.
 20. The multi-axis robot ofclaim 11, wherein the first end effector overlies the second wristmember, and the second end effector lies under the first wrist memberwhen oriented for a rotational move of the multi-axis robot.